OLD TESTAMENT | HISTORICAL
The Book of Judges
GOD’S DELIVERERS
This book is written to remind the people of Israel how faithful God was when he was their king. Hindsight is a great thing, and the writer of Judges is reminding the people of Israel how God saved them and provided strong leaders (judges) to deliver his people every time they cried out to him. The cycle of sin is going to annoy you. They do their own thing, they get into trouble, they cry out to God, God raises up a hero to deliver them, there is peace for a while and then the cycle starts again – but how many times have we done that in our lives? Get to know all about Gideon, Deborah, Samson and the judges that God used to save the Israelites. Learn from their mistakes and triumphs and see God rescue his people over and over again.
Part One
DIVE - DON’T BE A ‘THEN’ CHRISTIAN | Dr Katie Haldane
One of the repeated terms in Judges is, ‘Then Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord’. You are going to see this (and highlight it!) over and over again as we journey through Judges. It is really very annoying, to be honest. I am a freak at doing everything right, a stickler for the rules and making sure that when I put my hand to a task I give it 100%.
DEEP DIVE - A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS | Dr Emma Austin
The Book of Judges reminds me a bit of A Series of Unfortunate Events, where each mini-narrative has a crisis that the hero overcomes, and yet there never seems to be a satisfying resolution. Something “unfortunate” always happens, namely, that the people fall back into sin again..
Part Two
DIVE - BEST-SUPPORTING ACTOR AWARD GOES TO… | Dr Katie Haldane
When I read the Bible, I like to look beyond the main story, the main characters and find the person that God has put in there to surprise us. At times, these people can be overlooked in the big scheme of things but God has called these faithful people and put their story into the Bible to show us, that every story matters if you take the time to hear it and learn from it.
DEEP DIVE - SISERA IS NOT WELCOME HERE | Dr Emma Austin
One of the stories in the Book of Judges that has always intrigued (and disturbed) me is the encounter of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, and Sisera, commander of the army of Jabin king of Hazor. You’ll find this encounter in Judges 4:17-21, and then retold in a poem in chapter 5.
Part Three
DIVE - IS THE HOLY SPIRIT FOUND IN THE OLD TESTAMENT? | Dr Katie Haldane
How many times have you heard it preached, ‘and then the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost’ and we see this incredible moment of the birthing of the church in Acts 2 (or re-birthing as I like to call it!), and we can give off the impression that the first time the Holy Spirit entered the stories of the Bible is in that Acts 2 moment.
DEEP DIVE - THE IMMUTABLE SPIRIT & THE JUDGES | Ryan Kerrison
The book of Judges is a unique book, in and of itself the book appears to merely be a partial historical recount of the nation of Israel. However, with further study, there is much more available to the reader. Much more depth and profound teaching that one can absorb and apply to their life today.
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